Door closing and checking device



March 1934- 1.. c. NORTON DOOR CLOSING AND CHECKING DEVICE Filed Nov. 28, 1928 Patented Mar. 6, 1934 PATENT OFFIGE DOOR CLOSING AND CHECKING DEVICE Lewis 0. Norton, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to Norton-Lasier Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application November 28, 1928, Serial No. 322,516

2 Claims.

This invention relates to door closing and checking devices, and is herein illustrated as embodied in a door check of the concealed type, mounted in the sill above the door, the door check further being of the double acting type, or in other words, constructed to close and control the type of door which swings open in both directions from the closed position.

An object of the present invention is to provide a door check which will act to close a double swinging door and control the closing movement from any open position, and bring the door quickly and surely to a position of rest accurately alined in the center of the sill. Another object of this invention is to provide a door check which is highly eflicient in operation, is simple and compact in construction and one which readily adapts itself for installation above the door,'it being understood, however, that the device covered in this invention is not limited to overhead installation.

Another object of this invention'is to provide a door check of the above described type, and means therefor for readily connecting the door n5 check with the door, whereby the door will be closed and the movement thereof will be properly controlled.

A further object of the present invention is to provide means which are readily accessible for adjusting the strength of the closing springs when the door is mounted in concealed position, as when mounted in the door sash or the floor, with its outer surface flush with the door sash or floor.

Another object, among others not enumerated, is to provide the various means for accomplishing the necessary closing and controlling operations, together with connecting mechanism therefor, all of such construction that an improved closing and controlling action is produced, making for higher efficiency in operation, and further to provide a door check which is extremely durable and not likely to get out of working order.

The present disclosure is given merely by way the invention in any regard, but merely as one of example and is not to be considered as limiting constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a plan cross-sectional view of Figure 1 taken on the line 2-2 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view of Figure 1 with the door and slide removed to better reveal the construction;

Figure 4 is a pian view of the movable slide block shown in Figure 1 and taken along the line 4--4 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 5 is a plan view of the adjustable stationary block shown in Figure 1 taken along the line 55 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

By referring to the drawing, it will be noted that the present invention is illustrated as embodied in a door check mounted in the door sill 10 above the door 11. The door 11 is of the double acting type and swings on the hinge designated generally as 12. The hinge may be of any suitable construction, but is herein shown as comprising the cup-shaped member 13 mounted in the opening 14, in the upper edge of the door by means of the screw 15. The outer race ring 16 is provided in the cup member 13, and the inner race ring 17 is provided on the bolt 18, mounted in the bracket 19, carried by the door check casing rigidly fixed relative to the door sash 10.

Anti-friction roller bearings 20 are provided between the race rings, and the closing cap 21 is provided over the entire bearings. This construction provides a very serviceable, easy working hinge for the double acting type of door herein disclosed.

An elongated opening 22 is provided along the upper edge of the door so as to accommodate the connecting arm in a manner hereinafter de- 96 scribed, and below the elongated opening a slide track 23 is provided to accommodate the sliding connection between the door and door closer. The slide 23 may be of any suitable construction, but is disclosed as being of bent sheet metal having a base 24, side walls 25, and inwardly pro- 'jecting flanges 26, having space between for opposed inner edges.

Mounted in the slide is a wedging block 27 having the wedge face 28 and a locking screw 1 29 provided with the enlarged head 30, preferably having a notched irregular edge 31. The diameter of the head 30 is selected as slightly greater than the thickness of the door, so that the edges of the head will project slightly beyond the edges of the door, thereby permitting a manual gripping of the head for adjusting the bolt.

The screw in its maximum inward position is adapted to cause the wedge block 27 to bind against the inwardly projecting flanges 26 of the guide, so as to lock it against movement in any adjusted position. It becomes readily apparent, however, that by loosening the screw, the wedge block may be moved to any desired position within the slide guide, and there anchored for engagement with the sliding wedge at any predetermined open position of the door.

Slidably mounted in the guide is the slide block 32, having a wedge face 33 adapted to cooperate with the wedge face 28 so as to frictionally lock the slide and wedge blocks together.

The slide block 32 is provided with a bearing opening 34, adapted to pivotally receive the pin 35 which is carried by the block 36 fixed to the arm 37. The block 36 is adjustable laterally relative to the arm 37, by means of the screws 38, which serve to secure the block 36 to the arm. The block is mounted between side faces 39 on the arm which are spaced apart a distance greater than the width of the block 36 so that by a proper adjustment of the screws the block will be moved laterally relative to the arm.

The arm 37 is rigidly attached to the spindle 38 in the door check by means of the straight side portion 39 on the head of the spindle and the screw 40. It will be noted that the door check comprises a casing 41 having a flanged bottom portion 42 for securing the door check, either *in the sill in accordance with the present disclosure, or in the floor or other location as the case may be.

Mounted inside of the casing 41 is a fluid checking device 43 the internal construction of which is not shown herein in detail, it comprising, however, a double-ended cylinder and piston construction, substantially like that of the applicant's co-pending application Serial No. 234,783, filed November 21, 1927.

In the bottom wall of the casing 41 a pair of openings 44 and 45 are provided in which are mounted the circular disks 46 and 47 for the springs. The casing 41 is provided with an opening 48 and bearing bushing 49 for receiving the spindle 38, and in its upper wall an opening 50, serving as a mounting for an anti-friction hearing for the upper end of the spindle 38.

The opening 50 is provided with an outer race ring 51, whereas the upper end of the spindle is provided with a reduced portion 52 having an inner race ring 53 fitted thereon. Anti-friction bearings 54 are provided between the inner and outer race rings. The spindle is held against downward displacement by means of the closing cap 55 and screw 56.

The fluid checking device 43 is provided with a spindle 5'7 having, in addition to the bearings within the casing of the fluid checking'device, an anti-friction bearing designated generally as 58, which will not be described in detail, it being of the same general construction as shown in connection with spindle 38, with the exception that the upper cap 59 is formed as a rigid part of the casing 41.

A gear 60 is keyed to the spindle 38 and is in mesh with a gear 61 keyed to the spindle 5'7. This connection causes the rotary movement imparted to the spindle 38 to be transmitted to the spindle 5'7 so as to control the closing action of the door. The gears will preferably be constructed with meshing teeth on the cooperating halves of their circumference only as shown in the drawing, because in operation the opposite portions of the gears are not brought into cooperative relationship.

The spring units are identical in structure and accordingly only one will be described, which description will suflice for both, it being understood, however, that the springs are oppositely arranged whereby one will serve to close the door from one open position, and the other will serve to close the door from the opposite open position.

The spring assemblies compr'me a center spindle or bolt 62 having a head 63 received in the opening 64 of the adjusting disks 46 and 47 respectively. Each spring is provided with a reduced threaded end 65 at its upper end, screw-threadedly fixed in the opening 66 and 67 respectively in the casing 41.

Mounted on the spindles are sleeves 68 and 68 respectively, each provided with an anti-friction bearing 69 at their upper ends, fitting on the reduced portion 70 of the spindle or bolt. Sleeve 68 is provided with an arm 71 having a, pin 72 secured thereto, and the sleeve 68 is provided with an arm 73 having a pin '74 secured thereto. The pin 72 serves as a means for securing the. flexible chain 75 to the sleeve, and the pin 74 serves as a means for connecting the flexible chain '76 to the other spring sleeve.

The sleeves 68' and 68 respectively each have the inner end of a spring 77 secured thereto, the springs having their outer ends fixed to turn with the adjusting disks 46 and 47 respectively. Each disk is provided with notches 78 on its periphery 1 adapted to cooperate with a holding dog 79 pivoted on the casing by means of the bolt 80. All of these parts are mounted in depressions provided in the casing whereby a flush finish will be provided on the underside of the door checking 1 device.

The end link 81 of the chain 75 is provided with a hook 82 for cooperation with the pin 83 carried by the gear 61, and a second hook 84 for cooperation with the edge of the casing provided by the opening 85 therethrough.

The end link 86 on the chain 76 is likewise constructed with a hook 87 for cooperation with the pin 88 on the gear 61, and a hook 89 for cooperation with the edge of the casing provided by the opening 90. This construction serves to maintain one or the other of the chains in anchored position during one direction of rotation of the gear 61, during which time the other chain is moving in a direction to wind up or store energy in the corresponding spring assembly.

It will be noted that the end hooks are provided with flat guide portions in close sliding engagement with the inner surface of the casing 41. After the door has been opened and again restored to its central closed position, the end link, which was effective in closing the door, is immediately brought back to its proper position, whereby it will be seated against the edge of its cooperating opening in the manner shown in 3 Figure 2.

During installation, after the door check has been connected to the door, the door is properly adjusted to the center positon of the sill by means of the adjusting screws 38 which move the block 36 laterally relative to the arm 37. If it is then desired to provide means for holding the door in a predetermined open position, the door is moved to this predetermined position, at which time the wedge block 27 is moved within the slide 23 to the position where its wedging face 28 will cooperate with the wedging face 33 on the slide block 32.

In this position the wedge block 27 is locked against movement by manually turning the enlarged head of the locking screw to frictionally bind the wedge block in the guide.

When the door is opened in either direction, the swinging movement of the door will impart a swinging movement to the arm 37 and in turn a rotary movement to the spindle 38. The spindle 38 acting through the gears 60 and 61 will bring into operation the fluid checking device 43, which is double acting in construction, and in addition pull either chain or chain '76 as the case may be so as to store energy in one or the other of the spring devices while leaving the inactive chain and spring device undisturbed held in the position shown in Figure 2.

When the door is opened to the predetermined position at which it is desired that it be held, the relative movement of the guide 23 and the slide block 32 brings the slide block 32 into frictional engagement with the wedge block 27, whereby the wedging faces will jam and frictionally hold the door in open position.

It is to be noted that this operation is accomplished irrespective of the direction of the opening movement. When it is desired to close the door, the door is merely forced slightly in the closing direction, sufliciently, however, to disengage the slide and wedge blocks, whereby the stored up energy in the spring is permitted to exert itself and act to close the door. The spring energy is imparted through its chain, gear 61, gear 60, spindle 38, anarm 37, all of which act to bring the door to the closed position, the movement always being regulated by means of the fluid checking device 43, which controls the action of the spindle 57, gear 61, and consequently the door itself.

If it is desired to eliminate the holding feature, it is possible to move the wedge block 27 to the extreme right hand end of the guide 23, as shown in Figure 1, whereby the wedge and friction blocks will not be brought into engagement throughout the entire swinging range of the door.

In the type of construction herein described, antifriction bearings are provided for in the upper ends of the respective spindles adjacent the means for connecting the various spindles for operation, and consequently at the locations of the greatest wearing forces. This construction makes for ease in operation and a minimum of wear.

Although I have described one particular embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that the present disclosure is merely given by way of illustration, and is not to be considered as limiting the invention in any respect.

The scope of the invention herein described will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A double acting door closing and checking device comprising a support adapted to be mounted in a sill above a door, a fluid piston and cylinder mounted on top of said support and having a vertically disposed operating spindle extending upwardly above said cylinder, a second spindle to one side of said cylinder extending downwardly through said support and presenting a projecting end for connection to a door, a pair of meshing gears mounted on said spindles respectively and a pair of oppositely disposed springs mounted on the upper side of said support having upwardly extending operating spindles and flexible means connecting the spindles of each of said springs to the spindle of said fluid piston and cylinder, said springs being adapted to resist movement of said piston in opposite directions.

2. A door closing and checking device comprising a support adapted to be mounted in a sill above a door, a fluid piston and cylinder mounted on top of said support and having a vertically disposed operating spindle extending upwardly above said cylinder, a second spindle to one side of said cylinder extending downwardly below said support and presenting a projecting end for connection to a door, means mounted on and operatively connecting said spindles, and spring means mounted on the upper side of said support having flexible means attached thereto for operatively connecting said spring means to the spindle of said fluid piston and cylinder, said spring means being adapted to force movement of said piston in checking direction.

LEWIS C. NORTON. 

